Since Stanley Black & Decker owns both of these brands, you would assume they shares a common platform. So it should of be as easy to swap. But it isn’t.
Look at the physical differences and you will find out that the DeWalt pack has five pins in the connector, while the Craftsman battery only have four.
Physical Compatibility Test Results
But one of these is different. One pin is off. Makes all the difference in the world.
The pins don’t line up. A four-pin plug won’t fit into a five-pin socket.
So it needs to be tested for compatibility. And that means you have to put them side by side and test it out.
The hardware is top-notch on both sides. But their electrical language are different. There’s also a slight difference in the physical shape of where you release the batteries. That way if you try, it doesn’t go in. That’s done intentionally. The manufacturers does this because they don’t want people mixing ecosystems.
Can you insert that Craftsman battery into your DeWalt drill? Not going to happen. It’s loose and unstable. The connector won’t seat correctly. It does not lock. No click. The tool will not work.
Maybe you wiggle it around a bit until it locks in. Nope. The electrical contacts don’t make contact. You are wasting your time mixing brand type.
Reversing the test yields the same result. A DeWalt battery will not slide onto a Craftsman drill.
The opposite is true as well, however. You can’t put a DeWalt battery on a Craftsman drill. No dice. And that’s because there simply isn’t enough geometry in the housing for any meaningful engagement.
You won’t get a good hold on the battery. If you tilt it even a little bit, it’ll slide right back off. How are you supposed to make an electric path? Short answer: you don’t. They’re just plain incompatable systems. Save yourself some money and don’t bother adapting.
This is not good news if you have been dreaming about interoperability. Two different brands lives within the same corporate family but stay in their own silos.
The main blocker here is that there’s just no pin compatibility. Four pins vs five is a deal breaker. No adapter exists to span this distance. Nope, the batteries don’t even mate up. Ouch. Not fun news for those with both lineup.
